This invention is generally directed to systems that provide information about the location of a user, and more specifically directed to providing location information via a telephony system in which location data is stored remote from the user and entered under the control of the user.
There are a variety of ways to determine a position of a user. Commonly known ways include the use of triangulation to locate a radio frequency signal, long range aid to navigation (LORAN) where available, and the use of the global positioning satellite (GPS) system to provide latitude, longitude and elevation coordinates. A handheld GPS receiver is capable providing a user with accurate location coordinates that indicate the present position of the receiver. Further, a current position of the receiver can be marked, i.e. stored in memory of the receiver, for later use. Many GPS receivers provide navigational information permitting the user to travel from a current location to a previously marked location. Such GPS systems continue to be used successfully and provide navigational assistance to users. Since such systems normally rely upon previously stored location information in the receiver to provide navigational assistance to return to a prior location, this limits the ability of a user to share location and navigation instructions with others that do not have access to the user's receiver. Also it is inconvenient to always carry a standalone GPS receiver in case directions and/or navigation is desired.